


I'm Still Alive But I'm Barely Breathing

by ShanleenKinnJaskey



Series: We Walk These Walls [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Human, Assistant Percy, Clones, Cyborgs, Doctor Annabeth, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I'm Not Telling, King Kronos, Labyrinth - Freeform, M/M, Minotaur - Freeform, Multi, POV Monster, Prince Will, Princess Hazel, Servant Nico, icarus - Freeform, who's the minotaur, will has a clone, will is in the maze somewhere but I'm not telling exactly where
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-20 02:30:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3633363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShanleenKinnJaskey/pseuds/ShanleenKinnJaskey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Icarus is flying too close to the sun<br/>Icarus's life, it has only just begun<br/>This is how it feels to take a fall<br/>Icarus is flying towards an early grave..."<br/>-Bastille, Icarus</p><p>His name has become synonimised with falling.<br/>A flight too close to the sun.<br/>It grew too hot, melting his only support, and then he fell in a trail of burning feathers and scalding wax.<br/>Most assume this was the end of the story.<br/>But what if that boy has something else to tell?</p><p>A Story set in an alternate future where the world is ruled by major empires and their royal families, a cyborg monster stalks the corridors of the Labyrinth where the worst criminals are sent for punishment, and romance sparks between a servant and a Prince.</p><p>More warnings may be added later on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Labyrinth: i'm bleeding out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chrissyeccly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrissyeccly/gifts), [astrarisks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrarisks/gifts).



> Title is from "Breakeven" by the Script.  
> Chapter titles are from the song "Bleeding Out" by Imagine Dragons.
> 
> Okay, you've probably noticed that this is basically "Icarus is Falling", one of my Hetalia fics, changed to meet Percy Jackson characters. It's part of an experiment and I hope you guys like it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Human Frailties" by Dawn Under Eclipse.  
> Arcs are from "Immortals" by Fall Out Boys.

**_:_ **

**_::_ **

_**I look around to find the source** _

_**Of all this fury** _

_**Our soul is a crystal fragile form** _

_**So easy to corrupt** _

_**I taste your human frailty**_

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

  **::arc present: i'm still comparing your past to my future**

Trapped in an endless maze, Nico tries to understand.

He'd thought that Prince Will had loved him, and he's having a hard time reconciling the man he loves with the man who threw him in here.

> _-i hate you_  Will said _i never want to see you again-_
> 
> _\- i love you_ he replied _please tell me what has happened to you-_

There is a monster down here in the maze. No one knows what it is, but Nico has a feeling about it. It's not a good feeling. 

(Nico's feelings have never been wrong)

(Except about Prince Will, a little voice reminds him)

There is an artificial sun down here in this underground maze. It sheds a dismal light upon the labyrinth and the insignificant beings contained within it, but Nico does not put much stock in it.

> - _you are insignificant_ his prince said _you are merely a lowly servant_ -
> 
> - _why_ the question graced his lips _what have I done to deserve your hatred_ -

Falling.

A fall from grace, undeserved.

> _-I love you_  he tried to scream as he was taken away _i thought you loved me too-_

"Tell me, world," he whispers to himself as he edges along a wall, "Why must everything be so artificial?"

Everything is fake, a false cover for a hideous, uncaring world.

Rigid silicon and unbending metal and hard plastic.

The metal walls, the silicon sun, and the plastic face of Will as he was taken away.

(Will- even the word tasted sweet on his lips)

(Even after his betrayal- How could it possibly still taste so sweet when Will had hurt him so badly?)

There is an old story about a Labyrinth, isn't there?

A Story about a fierce monster that ate children. Half bull, half man.

(But still more human than Will the last time Nico saw him)

He would roam the maze, carrying with him a festering soul of hatred and loneliness. No one would ever love him or care for him. The world took away his humanity, and over time he became just what they were calling him:

An It.

There was no longer a heart, an ability to love. Instead there was only a frozen sphere of broken glass and pitted iron, a life devoted to death and revenge.

> _-don't send me down there_ he protested _you know what happens to its victims_ -
> 
> _-i don't care_ his prince said _you deserve it-_
> 
> _-stop saying that_ Nico cried _you can't mean it-_

That is the curse of the Prince's labyrinth- it turns a person's heart into something dark and artificial. Devoting every waking moment to the search for a way out can turn a person into something devoid of soul, something inhuman.

Nico stops and lets his inner walls down for only a split second, just long enough for a single tear to fall down his scarred cheek.

> _-i do_ his prince said and turned his back-

Who could have guessed that something that had been so real and beautiful would deteriorate to this?

* * *

 

**::arc past: it might be your wound, but they're my sutures**

When Nico met Will was at the funeral of both their fathers. Old friends since childhood, King Apollo Solace and his manservant Hades di Angelo had died in an attack on the palace.

Nico di Angelo had only been nineteen years old. Dressed in his nicest clothing (it wasn't much- just a black button-down shirt, faded black slacks, and black leather boots), he first saw the grieving Prince by the mausoleum of their fathers. The young man- merely fifteen years old- had just been handed the responsibility of the entire kingdom and the news of his father's death in the same day. Nico felt sorry for the young prince.

As custom dictated, the other mourners left at dusk, leaving behind the two sons of the dead women to finish the vigil through the night. Kneeling at the grave next to the Prince of Briterica, Nico was ashamed to find himself noticing through his grief how handsome the prince was. The setting sun turned the Prince's hair a golden color and his icy blue eyes gained a bright sheen. His tailored black waistcoat fit him perfectly, and the thin chain of gold beads encircling his wrist that signified him as the Heir Apparent shone softly in the sunset.

The ceremony that sent the dead souls to the next life allowed for speaking after an hour, but only whispering. Surprisingly, Prince Will was the first to speak. "Nico," He said, his voice hoarse from crying, "I can't believe he's gone. He was everything to me, the only friend I've ever had. I'm sorry about your father as well- neither deserved to die like that- but I can't believe-" His voice cracked and he had to stop himself for a minute so he could gather his composure, "-Well, I just can't believe he's gone."

In his haze of grief and other strange, alien feelings burning in his heart, Nico forgot about protocol and the rules in their high-tech society. He reached over and placed a comforting hand on the Prince's shoulder.

A raw, anguished sob escaped the sobbing man's lips at the touch of another human being. It didn't matter to the Prince that Nico di Angelo was the son of a servant, the lowest of the low; it only mattered that Nico had been the first person to see past the stoic, silently grieving Prince and into the young man who was stuck inside, screaming his heart in the pure anguish that can only be truly experienced when someone you love dies.

Nico knew what he was going through, could sense that he needed a human connection to keep him from withdrawing from the world, because he was going through the exact same thing himself.

"My Prince-" He started softly, his North Britannian accent showing through, but he was cut off by the Prince.

"Will. Just..." Another sob, "Please call me Will. I need someone to call me by my name, to remind me that I'm a person outside of my title."

"Yes, Pri-" Arthur cut himself off and tried again. "... _Will_." The name tasted so foreign on his tongue, yet so sweet and full of unfinished promises.

They continued whispering through the night, helping each other get through the vigil. Every time Nico spoke Will's name his heart fluttered. _Why?_ He wondered, _I've only just met him. I guess it's kind of nice to finally talk to him after being separated all our lives by our stations and our fathers' wishes, but this feels different...almost special._


	2. Wingless: so if the last thing that i do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Northern Downpour" by Panic! At the Disco.  
> Arcs are from "I Just Wanna Run" by Downtown Fiction.
> 
> Percy is Will's cousin in this fic. Why? For reasons.

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**If all our life is but a dream** _

_**Fantastic posing greed** _

_**Then we should feed our jewelry to the sea** _

_**For diamonds do appear to be** _

_**Just like broken glass to me** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc present: i just want to run, hide it away**

A gamble- a shot in the dark.

Left or right?

Nico pauses at a fork in the corridors, surveying his options. There isn't much he can base his decision on- he has no information or prior knowledge to refer to.

(Not that established knowledge had helped him in the past)

> - _tell me Neeks_ Will said, long before he ended up turning on Nico _have you ever looked up at the sky and thought about how free the stars are-_

He isn't free now. He's more imprisoned than Will ever felt.

> - _don't you wish we could fly into the sky_ Will asked _and just get away from everything_ -
> 
> - _we'd have to leave Percy and Bianca_ Nico pointed out, naming their respective cousins-
> 
> _-I guess you're right_ Will frowned, then smiled _you always are_ -

He can't fly now. If he'd been smart back then, then he might have realized what a foolish dream it had been. Instead, he'd been buoyed by a false sense of love and hope that made his heart soar.

As he turns instinctively to the left and runs down that corridor, reality is quickly setting in.

He is a fool, and he let himself be led into a trap.

He still doesn't understand why Will, his beloved prince, sentenced him to the Labyrinth. A punishment reserved for only the worst of criminals, he has no idea what he has done to deserve it.

> - _Will_ Nico said, turning his head to face his prince _why do you love me-_
> 
> _-because you're yourself_ Will answered without hesitation _you're smart, hard-working, and not afraid to criticize me when I need it_ -

He hears a grief-ridden muffled sound from around the corner. It sounds strangely sorrowful, almost like the sound of a person crying.

He follows the sound, but he never seems to get all the way there. It keeps moving away, frustrating him to no end. He follows it for hours through the maze, and by the time it finally stops moving he's about ready to give up, a sheen of sweat decorating his forehead.

(He hasn't had this much physical exertion since he moved into Will's wing of the palace)

"Hello?" He says, chancing a whisper for the first time since he's entered this dreaded maze that reeks of grief and despair. His voice is slightly raspy from disuse.

The muffled crying stops. "Nico?" A quiet voice says, surprise obvious in their tone. 

(No. Just...no)

(It was not possible to hear that voice. Just. Not. Possible.)

> - _Nico_ Will said _i love you. as long as there are stars in the sky i shall love you-_
> 
> _-and i you_ Nico replied, a rare smile on his face-

"My Prince?" He murmurs in a tone of disbelief.

(Impossible)

Everything is wrong. Since the last time he slept (one, two days?) his beloved had betrayed him, sent him to the Labyrinth, and has now shown up crying and locked away behind a panel in the maze.

(Well, at least his voice is)

 

**::arc present: i'm out here all alone**

Prince Will is hunched over. His arms are wrapped around his knees, drawing them up to his chest.

(Broken is what he is)

> - _darkness. pure, unadulterated darkness_ -

He can feel the darkness closing in around him, the walls of the small space he's trapped in suffocating him.

This heroic prince is scared.

His secret?

He's claustrophobic. And afraid of the dark.

(Push it away- push it all away)

(Get rid of the fear)

> - _whisper smiles breaking the darkness of the closet-_
> 
> _-come on out, my prince_ Nico said, reaching out a reassuring hand _your uncle's gone. it's okay to come out now. I won't let him get to you again-_
> 
> _-golden threads of hope, of a connection, weaving their way into his broken, bitter heart-_

Bittersweet, splintered memories.

Nico had saved him then, had been the first person besides his abusive uncle to find out about his secret fear.

Nico had never told a soul and for that Will will be forever grateful. He wants to be everyone's hero, to protect them, and how can he do that of he has such petty, irrational fears that incapacitate him so easily? 

(Not totally irrational, his memories remind him)

> _-even after Nico saved him he was afraid-_
> 
> _-afraid of his uncle, with his eyes that were endless pools of twisted, fractured gold-_
> 
> _-even the light of Nico's soul never truly brightened his lonely days-_

But Nico can't save him now. Will doesn't know where he is, but even that isn't the biggest problem. Before the darkness of this small, horrible room had come, he'd seen something horrifying.

(Don't think about it)

(Don't let the hate grow)

(You're better than that)

A voice echoes into his thoughts. Muffled and quiet, but still unmistakable.

> - _at least not until that day-_
> 
> _-the day of the dancing and the lights-_

"Nico?" Will chances, the broken, quiet word slipping out. He can't force any other words out- it's as if his words are too full of feelings, of unspoken hope that they will all flood out if he speaks, falling to the ground where they'll burst on the dark, cold floor.

"My Prince?" Nico's voice says, disbelief evident. The sound is like music to Will's ears, a tantalizing symphony of honey and chocolate and everything good in life. A ray of tender hope enters his heart.

(But what if... his heart asks, but what if he's like that **thing**?)

No, he can't be. It's just not possible. If it is then Will's heart will splinter and crack and break. Having always been a fragile thing, having the first person who ever truly loved him

(Not because of pity like his mother)

(Not because of wealth like the ladies of the court)

hurt would devastate him. And if this voice he's hearing ends up being false, a dream or a creature like the one he'd seen, then that will end him and his lonely, aching heart.


	3. King Minos: is bring you down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Animal I Have Become" by Three Days Grace.  
> Arcs are from "Hold Us Together" by Matt Maher.  
> Okay, ages are a bit off between Nico and Will in this story. Sorry- it fit in with the plot.

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**I can't escape this hell** _

_**So many times I've tried** _

_**But I'm still caged inside** _

_**Somebody get me through this nightmare** _

_**I can't control myself** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc past: it's the moment of truth when your heart hits the floor**

King Kronos of the New Russian Empire was a harsh, tough man. Having grown up in Siberia, he'd learned to never show mercy and to use harsh discipline if a child was ever to learn.

He disapproved of what he saw as his late best friend's husband's lax treatment of his son, Will. Most Briterican mothers treated their children that way, and he was of the opinion that it groomed children to become weak, complacent future rulers. He sure wasn't raising his daughters Hazel and Drew and his foster son Frank (the biological son of his late sister Emily) that way- firm, Russian discipline was needed.

So when King Kronos received the news of King Apollo's death, he immediately packed up his and Hazel's bags and headed to Briterica. He left the country in Prince Frank's hands with incredibly detailed instructions on what to do and a very explicit description of what would happen if Prince Frank didn't follow his instructions to the letter. Then he left, his always-present small smile on his face and Frank trembling in his boots back at their updated Kremlin.

Then, when he arrived, he instantly stepped into the position as Will's guardian. The rest of the world accepted this, although admittedly a bit begrudgingly, as they didn't know what kinds of 'discipline' Kronos had planned for the young Prince.

Kronos had this talent for figuring out people's greatest fears, and as soon as he saw Will's face pale slightly at the prospect of going through a tunnel to the next stop on a political tour he knew what he was going to use for his discipline sessions.

The first time Will broke the rules was a few days later (merely a week after King Kronos had arrived). Unknowing thirteen-year-old Hazel told her father that she'd seen Will in the gardens the night before talking with a servant boy and he immediately stormed up to the boy's room, where he was innocently working on his sums, grabbed the boy's arm, and dragged him off down the hallway.

"That hurts, Uncle Kronos," the teenager complained, using the familiar term for Kronos while being dragged along. Kronos could see the slight twist of worry and pain in Will's face.

(Good. The boy needed to learn a lesson)

He threw the boy into a closet, slammed the door, and locked the bolt. "Your mother was too flexible with you. That's not the proper way to raise a Prince." He paused, listening to the sound of Will's frantic breathing. His lips curved slightly upwards, the cold expression on his face replaced with his normal cruel smile. "You're staying in there until you learn your lesson, boy. No sneaking out after curfew, especially with _servant boys_ , and you're to show proper respect for your superiors. You may be the Heir to a great Empire, maybe even greater than any on Earth, but for now you're only a prince and that means I am superior to you and you will address me as such."

Then King Kronos left. Despite his words, he wasn't planning on returning for a few days even if Will changed his attitude and started acting with the necessary deference towards his 'Uncle'. He knew just how effective a punishment like this could be, and exactly how long to draw it out to get maximum impact.

 

**::arc past: and you're on your knees**

Months later Nico finally found Will, who had been stuck in there again. Will had been on one of his janitorial rounds when he heard soft crying from inside of a closet. He'd unlocked the closet and opened the door to find the Prince curled up silently in a tear-soaked ball on the floor of the dark, small closet. He immediately guessed what had happened. He'd seen how the Prince had been acting around his uncle lately, and how he'd been avoiding his best friends.

"Come on out, my prince," Nico said, reaching out a hand to the trembling prince. "You're uncle's gone. It's safe to come out now. I won't let him get to you again."

Will pulled himself up using Nico's arm, his cheeks pale. "Nico," he whispered, and it broke Nico's heart to hear how shattered was Will's voice, how hauntingly hollow was the look in his eyes. Will took a step forward and just collapsed forward into Nico's warm, cinnamon-smelling arms, seeking the familiar kindness and connection that his best friend provided when the whole world was turning its back on him.

"It's alright, my prince," Nico replied in a soothing tone, patting Will's back. "I'll always be here for you."

"You always are," Will murmured into Nico's shoulder. Although Nico was three years older than the now sixteen-year-old prince, Will was rapidly going taller and more muscular and had already reached Nico's height.

Nico's heart clenched at Will's words. He would always be there for his best friend- thought Will may not have guessed it, Nico would die for his prince. They shared a bond of tragedy as well as friendship, and Nico hoped, with the deepest wish of his heart, to make an even stronger bond with Will. It had taken him awhile- the entire year since they'd first met, in fact- but he'd finally admitted his own feelings to himself. It had been the sight of Will looking so vulnerable that had made something snap in his brain, and that was when he'd felt something that went beyond friendship. He realized that he would do anything to keep Will from hurting like this ever again and that he would do anything to protect him, no matter what the cost.

But he set those feelings aside as he comforted Will, pushing them into a deep, dark corner of his heart where he would keep them for another year. He knew he had no chance with Will, and their friendship was enough for now.

After all, what more could a mere servant ever get?


	4. Minotaur: i'll bleed out for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Through Glass" by Stone Sour.  
> Arcs are from "Ex-Factor" by Lauryn Hill.  
> Endgame- the final stage of a game such as chess or bridge, when few pieces or cards remain.
> 
> "bloody stars" is pretty much their way of saying "Holy shit".

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**How do you feel? That is the question** _

_**But I forget you don't expect an easy answer** _

_**When something like a soul becomes initialized** _

_**And folded up like paper dolls and little notes** _

_**You can't expect a bit of hope** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc present: you see i know what we got to do**

There is a monster that haunts the corridors of the Labyrinth. The ultimate punishment for criminals, he is the most feared thing in the world, the dark incarnate.

He is the Maze's horrible Endgame.

 

But you see, he wasn't always the half-man, half-machine monstrosity he is know.

Once he had a soul. He loved people, trained with Chiron, and **felt** things.

> - _warmth against his lips, a pure, innocent love-_
> 
> _-the familiar sounds of the village tournaments, music to his ears-_
> 
> _-a laugh, as sweet and brittle as sugar_ -

Now his lips are cold, and his ears hear nothing but broken sobs and desperate whispers.

Nothing but despair until people meet their dark end at his cold, metallic hands.

No one lives.

> _-desperate whispers and burning fires-_
> 
> _-a girl with chestnut hair, kaleidoscope eyes, and a pale, ash covered face looked at him, clasping his hand-_
> 
> _-i love_ _you_ Piper said _no matter how far away they take you-_

They're all criminals. No matter how much they beg for mercy, it won't work.

(That's what happens when you have a heart of cold, dark metal and half of what goes through your veins is not hot red blood but rather cold slimy oil)

He has nowhere else to go, to do. He hasn't since they tore Pipes away from him and experimented on him, leaving him a husk of metal and flesh. A cyborg with no soul. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

(A modern day Minotaur)

> _-i love you too_ He replied-
> 
> _-his world was crashing down around him, destroying his hopes and burying his dreams-_  

He is something false, something twisted beyond repair. He is no longer considered human, no longer respected and loved.

(Only feared)

He has nothing, no one. He never will again. Pipes can't possibly love him now, not with what they've done to him.

(What they've destroyed inside him)

> - _he was wrenched away from her, and his world replaced with darkness-_
> 
> _-the last thing he saw was her flickering purple eyes-_  

If only he could find where they are hiding Piper- then he can rescue her and they can escape.

If only he could scrub out the metal from inside of him, get rid of the darkness and oil and cold.

Those words pound through his head as he slashes through another criminal, another victim of his sick, warped metal parts and his males soul.

(If only...)

(If only...)

( **If only...** )

There is no warmth here in a world of shadows and plastic and metal.

 

**::arc present: you let go and i'll let go too**

(Running running running)

(Focus on your breathing)

That's all she does nowadays. It doesn't give Hazel anywhere to go- she's not able to run away- but it does something to take her mind off of William.

They're engaged now. Her father made the deal a week ago, and that's when she started her new routine.

(Running running running)

(Can't stop now)

She zips up her lightweight running boots and heads out the door. She runs everywhere on the massive palace grounds- across bridges and through tunnels, alongside the bullet train and over the various trails.

She can't escape. She doesn't care about the rumors of the dark, smoke-filled cities outside of the clean ecosphere of the palace they live in, about the whispers of ash-coated towns. Anything that could get her away from William, the blank façade of a prince, and her father she'll do.

(Running running running)

(Keep going, don't think)

But she knows that she can't escape, so she runs to distract herself. She focuses on putting one step in front of the other, the sound of her heart pounding and her breath quickening and the slap of the rubber soles of her boots on the pavement fills her ears. Her muscles burn a lot at first, but as the days pass the soreness lessens and her body grows leaner and tougher.

She's a princess, but she doesn't care about what people think of her new hobby. She doesn't care if people think her improper because if she's able to forget about William and King Kronos's evil crimes for even a few minutes then she'll gladly deal with the stares and the whispers.

(Running running running)

(Forget the horror, the pain)

(Forget your father and your horrible fiancée)

(Forget it **all** )

Because she knows the horrifying truth of what happened the night Will's friend was sent to the maze, and it's tearing her apart.

 

 **::arc past: 'cause no one's hurt me more than you**  

The first time Nico let his feelings come to the surface was a year later at Will's coronation ball. Nico had to admit the irony- it was just like in the tales they told children, about times long past.

Nico, like all servants in Prince Will's palace, was literate. That combined with the fact that Will had given him full access to the Royal Library equaled a wealth of knowledge about what was referred to as Old History- meaning history from the Times Before the Great War. He knew that there was a time in between the story of Cinderella and now during which there weren't Kings of Queens, but rather horrible, corrupt governments run by people who called themselves 'politicians'. Somehow back then people had thought that religion and science were separate and that homosexuality was a sin.

Well, thank the spirits that people had remedied those delusions soon enough.

Nico, of course, would be helping serve the banquet at the ball that night. He was fine with standing on the sidelines- that had always been his job, after all- but he had to admit that there was a small bit of him that wished that he could be there in the crowd of ladies and gentlemen that had come to try and win Prince Will's hand in marriage.

He didn't tell Will, though. That night he helped his prince into his specially tailored dark blue suit (complete with a jacket with tails) and a simple white mask that covered the top half of the right side of his face like in the book the Phantom of the Opera, which Nico was currently reading.

"How do I look, Neeks?" Will asked as Nico moved around his prince, checking for flaws. He straightened Will's cravat.

"Dashing, my prince," He said, stepping back to survey his handiwork.

(Just like a prince from a fairy tale, he wanted to add)

"Thanks, Neeks," Will said, flashing a large grin at Nico. Nico felt his heart flutter unvoluntarily. "I can always count on you to tell the truth."

Nico's cheeks burned, but Will didn't notice. "Of course, my prince," Nico replied, affixing his signature smirk to his face. In contrast to Will, he was wearing the simple servant's uniform. It consisted of cream temperature-controlled pants, a black button-down shirt, and shined black leather shoes.

Nico tapped his wrist, bringing up the screen that had been installed in the skin (just like with everyone else) and cursed when he saw the time. "Bloody stars, I have to go! I'm supposed to be in the kitchen!" He quickly headed for the door.

"Hey, Neeks?" Will said.

Nico stopped in his tracks and turned back around. "Yes, Will?" he said a bit impatiently. He loved Will, but he really needed to get to the kitchen or they'd dock his pay, which he was sending to his cousins. Will had offered to pay for his family but Nico was too honest (and a bit too proud) to accept Will's offer. He said he'd rather work for the money than just have it handed to him- he said it would be more fair that way.

Will winked. "You look dashing as well, Neeks," he said.

"Thanks," Nico said quickly, not giving himself a chance to dwell too deeply on the words, and then headed down to the kitchen. Only after he had shut the door behind him and was halfway dodown the hallway did he stop and let Will's words sink in.

Dear Lord above, did Will just f-l-i-r-t with him?

 _No_ , he reminded himself quickly, _not possible. Will was just joking around as a friend, nothing more._

There were much better options for a beloved than a servant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you notice how she referred to the Prince as William for most of the story and then switched to Will to describe him before Nico's sentencing? 
> 
> There's a reason for that.
> 
> When do you want me to reveal why Will is in the maze and why Nico's prince sent him to the dungeon?


	5. Daedulus: so i bare my skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight changes from the last chapter. Cleo's characters are now flipped with Jasper's.
> 
> Lyrics are from "I'm Still Here" by Johnny Rzeznik.  
> Arcs are from "Collide" by Howie Day.

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**Now you know me and I'm not afraid** _

_**And I wanna tell you who I am** _

_**Can you help me be a man?** _

_**They can't break me** _

_**As long as I know who I am** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc past: out of the doubt that fills my mind**

Deep in the Labyrinth there is a criminal who has been sentenced to the final punishment by King Kronos. The charges? Rape. Was there any proof? No.

The woman's name was Doctor Annabeth Chase.

She did not commit the crime. Rather, King Kronos just wants to get rid of her. After all, she does know a secret that no one else knows- she and a man named Jake Mason had designed the Labyrinth. Jake had designed the Labyrinth and Annabeth had designed the cyborg creature that now lurks in these walls. Annabeth knows the weaknesses of the maze and the monster that stalks his corridors.

And this, her proudest creation of all, will be her downfall.

> _-the young man looks at her with fearful blue eyes-_
> 
> _-why have you brought me here_ he asked, his voice cracking _what have i done to deserve these experiments-_
> 
> _-a flash of guilt_ -

Annabeth shakes her head, dismissing the bad memories. She needs to find a way out of here, and remembering the horrible monsters she created in the past is no use to her.

(Remembering what she's done in the past makes her feel like a monster)

> - _you'll help protect the empire from criminals_ Annabeth replied, trying to ease the young man into his new position _don't you feel a sense of patriotism-_
> 
> _-i can't feel anything_ the young man said, and the hollow look in his eyes struck something deep in Annabeth's soul _you've made me a heart of metal_ -
> 
> _-i am a monster, Doctor_ -

Annabeth can hear the sound of heavy, clunking bootsteps coming down the hallway, and she knows what is coming. She knows what he turned the poor musician into, and though the Labyrinth was the creation she is the most proud of, the monster is the one she most regrets.

(She had mangled a poor man's innocent soul, warped his body beyond recognition)

(She'd started out with such good, optimistic intentions- what had happened to her?)

> _-watching as darkness overcomes an innocent soul-_
> 
> _-why did you choose him_ , _Annabeth_ Percy asks _why have you done this to an unwilling candidate? i could have done this for you. i could have_ _been your Minotaur-_
> 
> _-don't you understand_ he wanted to reply _i could never give you up, Percy_ -

Annabeth is growing old. She knows that his end is coming, and that it has been for a while. She's grown to accept it. She's lived a long life. Her first spouse, her wonderful husband Luke, had passed away from the Virus when she was only twenty, but he left behind a daughter named Thalia. Thalia had grown up and had graduated secondary school a year early, so at the tender age of seventeen she was in University.

Annabeth had met Percy a few years back, a new lab assistant, and they'd soon grown inseparable. Now her only concern as she faced her doom was wondering what would happen to the young sea-loving man once she was gone.

> _-i'm worried_ Percy said _the monster is getting worse and worse. he's destroying everyone that gets put in there. what if someone falls in on accident and is slayed?_
> 
> _-i'll stop him first_ Annabeth replied _he wouldn't dare do anything if his fiancée's life is on the line-_
> 
> _-sea grewn eyes looking at him in pity-_

A glint of metal as her monster turns the corner. Annabeth can see the face of her most powerful and most horrifying creation plainly under the light of the silicon sun. The right half of the former musician's face is hard, cold metal while the other half is unblemished tan skin. Blue eyes stare herdown, one real and one robotic.

The man's fancy purple coat is gone, leaving behind only loose black clothing. There is no automatic temperature-adjustment woven into their fabrics.The metal plates in his arms, side, and legs coupled with the inner wiring do that job instead.

As Annabeth looks upon her creation, she does not feel the horror that others do and that she herself did for so long. She feels only pity for a man that was torn away from his home, forced to commit unspeakable deeds for an empire he'd long ago become disillusioned with.

(Dear Lord Jesus, what has Annabeth done?)

 

**::arc present: i somehow find you and i collide**

Despair crashes down around Nico as he realizes what has happened. Will is locked inside one of the walls, and though they are thick they are not big enough for a grown up man to comfortably be squished into.

(Oh no)

(Will's claustrophobic)

Worry floods over Nico in a wave, and he leans up against the wall panel that Will is stuck behind. "Dear Lord, Will, I'm so sorry," He whispers. "You must be terrified."

> - _watching Will dance with everyone else hurt-_
> 
> _-his heart broke over and over with each passing minute-_

"I'm okay, Neeks," Will whispers, and Nico can hear past the false face of confidence he's trying to put up and into the deep-seated terror he's trying to hide. He knows Will- they've been together for a long time, both as friends and later as lovers. Well, until...

(Don't think about that)

> _-he overheard Will telling a girl that he liked her and he lost it-_
> 
> _-he dropped his tray on the table and ran out of the hall, unable to take it anymore-_
> 
> _-tears streamed down his face-_

"Tell me the truth," Nico whispers. "How are feeling, my prince?"

"It's Will, I've told you a million times," Will quips weakly. His breathing hitches but then begins to steady. Nico breathes a sigh of relief despite the circumstances- at least Will is slowly calming down and getting over his fears, if only a little, "And honestly, Neeks, I'm terrified."

> _-suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder-_
> 
> _-he turned around to find a pair of sky blue eyes centered in a tanned face-_
> 
> _-Neeks_ Will said _Are you okay_ -

Nico doesn't say 'It's going to be okay' or 'Don't worry'. Neither of those will make a difference, will be able to help.

Instead he says, "Well, at least I found you, Will."

"Yeah, Neeks. I love you." Will says, his voice full of relief.

A sudden rush of anger flies through Nico. "You didn't love me when you sent me down here." This is when he knows something is wrong. If Will had really sent Nico down here, then why is he stuck in a wall, his deepest fears preying on him?

> - _No_ he burst out _i'm not okay. i can't stand by and watch you pick a wife or a husband-_
> 
> _-sky blue eyes filled with surprise, and something he couldn't identify-_
> 
> _-suddenly Will leaned forward and Nico found himself being kissed-_

A gasp. "I didn't send you down here!"

Nico freezes.

(What?)

(How could that be?)

(He'd seen Will with his own eyes. Trust him- that memory would never fade from his mind)

"But..." Nico stammered, "I saw you!"

"It was a clone. I saw him right before I was knocked out."


	6. Tributes: and i count my sins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Castle Walls" by T. I.  
> Arcs are from "Someday" by Max Schneider.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the time line for the story is this-  
> Day Will was kidnapped is Day 1.  
> Replaced with William, a clone, who sentences Nico to dungeon on Day 2.   
> Nico is knocked out and stays knocked out for four days.  
> Nico is placed in maze on Day 6. Their stuff has been happening all on Day 7. Nico has not slept since he was placed in the maze, and has subsistence on the water bottle and little food that is in his belt.  
> Hazel's scenes started Day 6.

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**Everyone thinks that I have it all** _

_**But it's so empty living behind these castle walls** _

_**These castle walls** _

_**If I should tumble if I should fall** _

_**Would anyone hear me screaming behind these castle walls** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc present: i follow my dreams**

Hazel returns from the palace the next day to find her father gone. He'd been called off for an emergency political visit to the territory of Dakota, and for a few precious days she is free.

She can stop just running, instead beginning to enjoy herself and talk to other women without the constant shadowy presence of her father to deal with.

(But don't forget to watch yourself)

Her training with the New Russian Imperial Secret Service (NRISS for short) keeps her from enjoying it fully, though. She checks over her shoulder constantly, watching for William.

She hates him and what he represents- her imprisonment in this palace, the loss of her good friends Prince Will and Nico, and her father's evil, twisted, selfish version of what should have been a beneficial science.

(And yet she does nothing)

(She **chooses** to do nothing, rather than risk getting thrown in the maze)

(She's disgusted with her cowardly self)

"Are you okay, Your Highness?" One of her ladies in waiting, Thalia, asks her this with a concerned look in her wide green eyes. Hazel, now that Thalia has brought it up, is actually surprised that the black-haired, keen-eyed girl didn't see it sooner. There are so many signs over the past week that she's been troubled- the fact that she's been running practically everyday, that she's been wearing all black (even her headband) instead of her customary white, green, and blue, and that she's been barely touching her food at banquets all week.

She forces a smile onto her face and nods. "Yes, Thalia, I'm perfectly well."

(Fake, a patched-together smile of melting plastic and crumbling walls and broken hearts)

(False, no emotion behind it at all)

(Neutral, dispassionate, flat)

She excuses herself to the restroom and soon as she gets in there a shudder passes through her whole body. It's getting so easy to hide her true feelings under a mask of neutrality, to disguise the truth.

She examines herself in the mirror. Purple-blue bruises the skin under her eyes and her short blond hair hangs lanky around her face. Though she puts up the pretense of smiling and acting fine, her lack of sleep is starting to show.

While on the shallower layers she's disgusted by herself (as she should be), deeper down she's horrified. She's losing connections, pulling herself away from people. She runs to avoid people and ends up avoiding everyone, even her friends.

(What is happening?)

(Why is she turning into this thing?)

A horrible thought passes through her head, and she shakes her head to dismiss it. It leaves the forefront of her mind for now but clings at the edges, sticking to the ends of her mind.

(This is exactly what Drew did right before she went insane)

 

**::arc past: you'd think they were nightmares the way they scream**

The cyborg moved toward his Creator.

> _-a flash of pain, of white heat at his wrist-_
> 
> _-stop it please_ He shouted _just stop it-_
> 
> _-a glimpse of cold grey eyes-_

"I'm ready for your punishment." The Creator's voice was broken but firm, far more human than the last time he'd heard it. "I deserve it. I've been waiting for it for a long time."

The blades wired into his knuckles extended automatically, sliding seamlessly out of his flesh and into place with a menacing click. The Creator didn't even flinch- she just kept staring at his creation. Blue eyes met grey and as the cyborg got closer he noticed that the grey had notably softened. That didn't matter, however- a criminal was a criminal and it was his job to exact punishment.

(That's what the Creator had told him after all, right?)

The Creator closes her eyes. "Do it," she says, and the cyborg obliges.

A slash of red against the shadows of a neverending maze.

 

**::arc past: i'll make them believe**

Nico stepped back first after what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, breaking off the kiss. "Will..." He said, and his voice trailed off before he could finish, he was so overcome by emotion. He took a deep breath and tried again. "What was that?"

"Oh god," Prince Will said, his hand flying to his mouth in shock, his cheeks burning red. "I'm so sorry. I thought you- well, I mean... stars, Neeks, what I just did is tantamount to rape!"

Nico got his voice back when he saw how ashamed Will was, the look of disgust on his face that he knew was directed at Will's own self. "No, it wasn't. I actually...enjoyed it."

Will's cheeks, if possible, went even more red. "Oh." Nothing more than that. Just 'oh'. Nico anxiously watched him as he visibly gathered himself together.

Then- "Well, I love you, Neeks."

Those words dissolved every wall he'd built up around his heart over the past two years, and he staggered forward as if he'd been physically punched in the stomach. Will grabbed Nico's arms, steadying him. Nico looked up and met Will's blue gaze. "Are you okay?" Will asked concernedly.

Nico smiled. It wasn't a smirk like normal, but rather a genuine, happy thing that lit up his black-and-brown eyes in a way Will had never seen before. "I'm perfect, Will. I'm completely whole for the first time in a **very** long time."


	7. Black Sails: and i close my eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Superhero" by the Script.  
> Arcs are from "Marching On" by OneRepublic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Superhero" by the Script.  
> Arcs are from "Marching On" by Imagine Dragons.

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**'Cause he's stronger than you know** _

_**A heart of steel begins to grow** _

_**When you've been fighting for all your life** _

_**You've been struggling to make things right** _

_**That's how a superhero learns to fly**_

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc present: for those days we felt like a mistake**

It has been five years since he killed the Creator, or at least he thinks that's how long he's gone on without purpose.

It's hard to tell in a maze where the sun's light means nothing and the only thing that marks the passage of time is the random criminal drops.

There hasn't been one in a few days.

(Well, what constitutes a few days)

Then, finally, another criminal is dropped off in the far end of the maze.

His enhanced senses tell him it's a male of Britannian descent. 

 

> _-a young man looked him in the eye, staring him down-_
> 
> _-watery blue eyes, long ago driven insane-_
> 
> _-you're just like me_ the man said _a monster_ -

He slowly makes his way through the corridors, guided by an internal map. The sound of running footsteps does not stop, a crazed dance that every criminal goes through. They always end up stopping, and that's when he gets them.

(He watches as the lights leave their eyes)

This time they stop quicker than normal.

 

> _-I'm not a monster_  he replied, but his tone was uncertain _i'_ _m not like you-_
> 
> _-a harsh, crazed laugh-_
> 
> _-yes you are_ the insane man replied _your heart does not feel-_

Then he hears talking. If he was capable of emotion he would sigh- just another convict going crazy.

But then he hears the crying, and he recognizes the sound.

(The sound of a heart breaking)

(The sound of being separated from the person you love)

His figurative heart begins to beat again. He feels for the poor man he has not met yet- he knows exactly how the man feels.

That criminal was wrong. He **does** have a heart.

 

**::arc present: those times when love's what you hate**

Heavy bootsteps. Clunk, clunk.

"Will, the monster is coming," Nico says, eyes widening in terror. He pushes himself up off of the maze wall, "I have to go. I'm so sorry."

(He had to leave, to go)

(He has to escape and find a way to save Will)

Nico can hear Will's breathing speed up, then get quieter as he tries to slow it down. He can picture Will's face in his mind- eyes shut and his face in his hands, trying to block out the terror.

"I'm coming back, Will. I promise."

> _-i'm coming back, i promise_ his mother says  _it's just a routine royal trip. the king just needs his guards-_
> 
> _-promise?_ he asks, innocent eyes wide-
> 
> - _oh course, poppet_ his mother says, ruffling his hair _just save me some of the cook's sunday scones. you know i love them_ -

"Promise?" Will asks, not even trying to disguise his vulnerability now. It kills Nico to hear his prince like this.

(It's not right)

(Will is supposed to be the strong one)

> _-the letter came on his arm screen-_
> 
> _-DEAD-_
> 
> _-tears flooded down his cheeks-_
> 
> _-no, it can't be-_

"I swear." Nico says.

(it can't be like the last time)

(it WON'T be like the last time)


	8. Princess Ariadne: and i take it in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "We Could Be Heroes" by Alessi and Tove Lo.  
> Arcs are from "Little Lion Man" by Mumford and Sons.

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**We go hideaway in daylight** _

_**We go undercover, wait out the sun** _

_**Got a secret side in plain sight** _

_**Where the streets are empty** _

_**That's where we run** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc past: weep for yourself, my man**

Percy received the news of Doctor Annabeth's arrest and sentencing and he spent the next three days grieving. Annabeth had been more than his boss- she'd been his wife.

He didn't tell his cousin, Will. It didn't matter in the end- there was nothing the Prince could do to bring Annabeth back. With no idea of who had orchestrated the false arrest, any alert he could give Will would be worthless.

Prince Wilk might even believe the charges, though Percy shuddered to think about it.

> _-Percy_ Will said _why take this low station job as a lab assistant?_ _why do you want to marry this doctor when you can have anyone of a higher station?_ _-_
> 
> _-you're one to talk_ , _Will_ Percy said _why did you fall in love with Nico-_
> 
> _-there is no response-_

Now Percy knows why. It had only been the ordinary (though talented) Doctor Annabeth's connection to Percy that had landed her a job as a designer of the Labyrinth. If only Percy hadn't insisted on becoming a lab assistant and ended up falling in love with the dashing Annabeth Chase. 

(He'd known that he couldn't protect anyone)

(He'd never be strong enough)

> _-i love you_ Annabeth said, leaning in to kiss him _my dearest seaweed brain-_
> 
> _-sweet, cinnamon-smelling arms encircled his waist at a ball-_
> 
> _-i love you too, Annabeth_ he replied _-_

Now Annabeth was dead.

(Gone forever)

> - _How could you choose me when you could have anyone else?_ Percy asked, staring into the stormy grey eyes of his beloved-
> 
> _-a soft, white smile-_
> 
> _-you are perfect, my beloved_ Annabeth said as she spun Percy around _how could there be anyone else-_

A flood of tears.

(Because nothing can be good without Annabeth)

 

**::arc present: you'll never be what is in your heart**

William passes her in the hallway later. "Hello, Princess Hazel," He says, and she looks up to see an unfamiliar evil glint in what look like Will's eyes.

She doesn't respond.

(running, running, running)

(Don't listen to his voice)

(An inescapable black hole of a voice that pulls her in)

"What, Princess, now you're not talking to me?" He says, his sinuous voice creeping into her ears and making her skull pound.

Just the sound of his voice is wrong- echoing about in her ears with an unfamiliar clang.

"There's no reason to," Hazel replies, plastering a false smile onto her face, "I shall see you at the next meal, after all."

"You look good in black, Your Highness," Al says, a sneer marring the synthetic face of her old friend.

(Shut up, you false copy)

(Will would never look like that)

(Will would never  _sound_ like that)

"As do you," She replies. Having to say this false compliment brings the taste of bile to her throat. She can feel her feet getting ready to run. She wants to escape, to leave this horrifying copy of a man, but she can't.

(Why?)

(Why won't she leave?)

It's true- William is handsome in black. She knows that Will never wore black except when in grieving (which she never saw him do, only heard about). He preferred to wear blues and whites, accompanied by accents of gold. She admits that Will is a handsome, charismatic individual- not that she's ever liked him like _that_. He is her best friend, along with Nico di Angelo. She likes the individual Will is when he's with Nico- Nico makes him kinder and more generous, a better person overall.

Not that he wasn't already, that is.

But now, well, now  _William_ has taken the place of her best friend. William is everything Will was not- manipulative, cunning, and sadistic- just like her father.


	9. Theseus: i'm bleeding out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Nothing Left To Say" by Imagine Dragons.  
> Arcs are from "Letters From The Sky" by Civil Twilight.
> 
>    
> 'Cause this plot twist TOTALLY makes sense.  
> Identity of the Cyborg is finally revealed!  
> (As if you hadn't figured it out already)
> 
> Oh, and to clarify Jason and Piper were taken by guards six years before the 'present'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that Nico enters the maze after waking up five days after he was originally 'convicted', and he doesn't know this.

**_:_ **

**_::_**

**_Below, my soul_ **

**_I'm feelin' injured_ **

**_Collapsing as it sees the pain_ **

**_If I could only shut it out_ **

**_I've come too far to see the end now_ **

**_::_ **

**_:_ **

 

**::arc present:  one of these days the sky's gonna break**

(running, running, running)

(must save Will)

Nico turns the corner, a new vigor in his step. He has a concrete goal now, a motive pushing him to succeed.

> _-falling, falling, falling-_
> 
> _-suspended in air in the middle of a metal tube, slowly dropping closer and closer to the darkness below-_
> 
> _-a black hole loomed_ -

(He has to escape)

(Escape for Will)

But how is he going to do it?

A sense of desperation settles over his mind. Though he has new meaning to his wanderings, he still has no idea of where to go. The walls are still metal façades stained red with the blood of the worst kinds of criminals.

> _-thoughts pounded through his head-_
> 
> _-why was this happening to him-_
> 
> _-how had Will's bright blue eyes turned so hateful and insidious_ -

Suddenly he hears nothing but the sound of his own breathing. Will's sobs are gone, the clunking sound of the monster's boots has disappeared, and his own footsteps are muffled by the rubber soles of his shoes. Silence is closing in, toying with his mind. If he hadn't found Will when he had, then this maze would have eventually driven him insane, with only his own doubting thoughts to keep him company.

An infernal place.

(Who in their right mind could create such a horrifying place like this?)

(Whose mind could possibly fathom such a monstrous way to punish a fellow human being, even a criminal?)

> _-he stopped falling in front of a metal panel-_
> 
> _-the door opened and he floated out the opening, then was deposited on the floor-_
> 
> _-he looked around but couldn't see anything. there was only darkness-_

There has to be a way out. There's no way he can leave Will stuck in that wall, his worst fears and memories crowding him in.

Suddenly he hears _that_ sound- the sound of the door to the maze opening. It's distinct, a resounding clang that he will never,  _ever_ forget. It's the sound that represents his worst nightmares.

(the sound of the end of his hopes)

 

**::arc present: and everything will escape and I'll know**

Piper wakes up in the dark. The last thing she remembers is seeing Jason dragged off by men in dark clothing and metal masks.

(It seems like it was only few minutes ago)

Then the light above her head comes on. She looks around at the dark, dismal world she's locked in and realizes that it has been far longer than a few minutes since she last saw her beloved.

She's in a corridor with dark metallic walls and stone floors. Silence surrounds her, cocooning her. Her breath makes the faintest fog in the air- it's chilly, but not freezing.

And then two sounds reach her at the same time, shattering the perfect quiet. Light footsteps to her right and a heavy, rhythmic clunking to her left.

(She's always had good hearing)

(But that second sound fills her with a deep, primal fear)

> _-a scarred face loomed out at her from the doorway-_
> 
> _-a metal sheen covered half of the face, an eye permanently welded shut-_

She'll never forget that sound. The sound of her brother's footsteps as she walks into their house and her entire world turns on its head, because suddenly her brother has changed. Her brother's brain was damaged in an accident, and he was sent off to a hospital to get fixed.

He'd come back worse.

> - _a clunking sound as she came through the door-_
> 
> _-hello Piper_ Michael said, his voice flat and dispassionate  _it's been awhile since i saw you last-_
> 
> _-despair and doom crash down around her-_

She needs to find Jason, wherever he is. What if he suffers the same fate as Michael?


	10. Intertwining Strings: i'm bleeding out for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Landscape" by Florence + the Machine.  
> Arcs are from "Calls Me Home" by Sharon Labrie.  
>  
> 
> Episodic chapter...hope it makes sense!

_**:** _

_**::** _

_**She can't see the landscape anymore** _

_**It's all painted in her grief** _

_**All of her history etched out at her feet** _

_**Now all of the landscape, it's just an empty place** _

_**Acres of longing, mountains of tenderness** _

_**::** _

_**:** _

 

**::arc past:  it’s funny how the walk of life **

A year later, Nico walked down the corridor from his new room near Will's. He was happier than he'd ever been before- they were to be married in three months.

There were going to be some people that opposed their marriage, of course, and that was going to put a damper on the event. After all, Will was a Prince, and as soon as he got married he would become a King, while Nico came from the servant class, the lowest class of all.

Not that Will cared, or his cousin Percy, who Nico had grown close to in the weeks since Will had proposed. Lord Perseus of the Dakotas apparently had some good friends in the servant class as well, but Percy wasn't giving any specifics. Nico respected that and didn't pry as it was obviously a sensitive subject for the man.

The official announcement of the engagement was planned for this weekend. Wilk had wanted to announce it immediately, but Nico had advised on waiting for Will's 'Uncle' to arrive on Wednesday- that way they could have a major King as a physical witness to the announcement and that was important no matter how much they hated him.

Nico couldn't wait for this weekend- he and Will could finally announce their love to the world.

 

**::arc past: can take you down without a fight**

Michael could feel the cold emptiness that was pervading his mind, replacing the emotions he remembered having.

He walked into the house and saw the horrified look on his twin sister's face. He'd never seen such an expression of disgust and terror on her face before. She saw him as a monster, didn't she? Piper, the person he cared about most in the world, saw only the metal encasing his face and arm, the scarring on his face.

"Hello, Piper," He said, but even he could hear the flat tone of his voice, "It's been awhile since I saw you last."

The expression on Piper's face passed in only a second, replaced by a hesitant smile, but the memory would forever be imprinted on the synthetic threads of his brain.

What had happened to turn him into this creature?

 

**::arc present: so many years can leave behind **

The cyborg hears the door to the entrance opening. A few soft footsteps forward, and then they stop.

Then he hears a voice he thought he would never hear again, and everything shatters.

"Jay?"

> _-notes of affection passed across a middle school class-_
> 
> _-i like you_  one note said _do you want to be my girlfriend_ -
> 
> - _sure. i like you too_  the note said when it was returned-

"Are you there?"

> _-a million charged kisses under the light of the stars-_
> 
> _-the feel of a violin bow under his fingers-_
> 
> _-the comforting smell of his father's cooking ambrosia-_

"Can you hear me?"

>   _-dancing with her at a village gathering_ -
> 
> _-a violin playing as they waltz, such an old dance but yet so elegant-_
> 
> _-you are so beautiful_ he tells her  _i could stay here all day and paint the masterpiece that is you, write a symphony on your beauty-_

He falls to his knees with a heavy clunk, suddenly overcome by emotions that he hasn't been able to feel in years.

(How could this be?)

(How could she have returned after so long apart?)

 

**::arc present: regretfully until it’s time to realize the moment **

Hazel is tired of being useless.

She stands in front of the entrance to the dungeons. It's a seamless metal wall next to the laundry shoot. There's got to be a way to get in.

(running, running, running)

(she's got to find the entrance)

(the end is coming soon)

But she has to find a way in. It's been seven days since the last time she saw Will and Nico, and all she's done is run away from her problems.

She's sick of herself. She's tired of doing nothing, being nothing but a damsel in distress.

She needs to stop running.

(running, running, running)

(she has to stop)

(she has to find a way out)

She feels along the wall, glancing to each side every few minutes to check for William or any random servants. She's been lucky for the time being, but any moment now someone could spot her and report her to her father.

Then all of her delicate, fragile plans will fall apart.

(running, running, running)

(she won't let that happen)

(she'll help rescue them)

(they at least deserve that)

 

**::arc present: when you turn around**

A resounding clunk echoes throughout the maze, and they all hear it.

A despondent prince, clinging to the barest threads of hope.

> _-whisper smiles breaking the darkness of the closet-_
> 
> _-come on out, my prince_  Nico said, reaching out a reassuring hand  _your uncle's gone. it's okay to come out now. I won't let him get to you again-_
> 
> _-golden threads of hope, of a connection, weaving their way into his broken, bitter heart_ -

A doubtful servant, wavering on the edge of hope, overlooking a chasm of despair.

> _-Nico_  Will said  _i love you. as long as there are stars in the sky i shall love you-_
> 
> _-and i you_ Nico replied, a rare smile on his face-

And a woman, torn away from all that she knows, the last whispers of the name of her beloved still lingering on her tongue.

> _-falling, falling, falling in love-_
> 
> _-inescapable, a warm, soft cocoon slowly encircling her-_
> 
> _-the best thing she had ever felt-_

They all hear the sound that signals the beginning of the end for a monster, a fear they haven't realized they contain within them.

Fear of darkness and enclosed spaces.

Fear of abandonment.

Fear of a monster she's never seen.

(falling away)

(far away)

(GONE)


	11. Pasiphae: when the day has come that I've lost my way around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Europa" by Globus.  
> Arcs are from "Everything Ends" by Team Starkid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so sad Cleo. As if we needed that.

**_:_ **

**_::_ **

**_Empires built and nations burned,_ **

**_Mass graves remain unturned._ **

**_Descendents of the dispossessed_ **

**_Return with bombs strapped to their chests._ **

**_There's hate for life and death in hate_ **

**_::_ **

**_:_ **

 

**::arc present: you don't know what you're fighting for**

Calypso has never been outside of her room. She was born in this room, or so she has been told, and her meals are delivered every day in a chute. There is no door, merely an array of computers where she monitors everything that goes on in the Empire. The Skyzones, the Upper Cities, the Lower Cities, the Labyrinth- you name it, and she has hacked his way into it.

(She's supposed to- it's what the chip in her brain is for)

She keeps an eye on the rest of the world, monitoring what she's told to and manipulating information to cover up things her masters do not want the world knowing.

> - _you let them know_ Master said _you will die, you worthless Downunder-_
> 
> _-a slap across the face from a robot, blinding pain-_
> 
> _-a promise to work harder, anything to get him to stop-_

Calypso had made herself an AI to keep him company. She names it Leo and programs him with the voice of some Greek actor from the Third Age, before the Great Wars that tore the world apart.

(Without Leo she would have gone insane from loneliness)

(She would have gone insane from the atrocities she is forced to witness in the feeds from the Labyrinth)

Leo is Calypso's only friend, and though Calypso talks down to him, cursing at Leo and taking out all her anger on him, she knows it makes no difference. Leo, programmed with the sarcastic, yet warm personality opposite to Calypso's vulgar spite, takes care of Calypso anyway, makes her feel like someone cares and that she's not just another replaceable part that keeps the high technology world they live in working.

(and most days Leo succeeds)

> _-he's not real_ Master said _he can't feel anything-_
> 
> _-yes he is_  Calypso screamed to the invisible voice in the wall _he's as real to me as Nico is to Prince Will-_
> 
> _-a silence descended, and for the first time Lovino escapes without punishment-_

Calypso knows as she looks out onto the most recent developments in the Labyrinth that she had revealed more than she'd meant to the Master. There were some things she'd kept to himself, that she'd never shared with his Master- things that she'd kept to himself like her own personal versions of jewels that sparkle in the pixelated pictures of Prince Will's crown on the wall screens.

(It's her fault that Nico was found out, that Master knew how to destroy Nico's trust in his prince)

Calypso throws her chair into the wall, screaming, and Leo patiently waits for her to calm down just like usual. Eventually she grows tired and curls into a ball in the corner of her small room. She knows that what she is witnessing taking place between Will and Nico is a true kind of love, the kind he she never have with Leo, for two reasons.

(how could someone love a coward like her, who never tried to help others and only ever did anything for herself?)

(And even then, how could someone feel love if any emotion they feel is merely wires and silicon, programming and gigabytes?)

There is nothing true between her and sarcastic, kind Leo, no matter how hard she wishes for it the truth stands that there is no such thing as love between a computer program and a cowardly genius.

 

**::arc past: what you came here for, feeling all alone**

Nico rounded the corner, heading toward the Great Hall. Today was the day they would announce the engagement, the day they would tell the world about their love. He was brimming with excitement, a kind of which he hadn't experienced since the first night his prince had kissed him.

He opened the door expecting Will to be sitting, ready for luncheon, only to be greeted by the sight of guards planted on either side of a stone-faced version of his lover. Nico's smile fell away from his face, replaced by a frown.

"Nico di Angelo," the Prince intoned, "You have been deemed a threat to the Kingship and therefore the Empire. You have been sentenced to the Labyrinth for the High Crime of Treason, though I think you are insignificant. You are merely a lowly servant."

Nico's mouth threatened to gape open and spew out a flood of retorts, but instead all that graced his lips was "Why? What have I done to deserve your hatred?"

"I hate you," Will said, face hard as diamonds and showing about as much warmth, "I never want to see you again."

"I love you," he replied, "Please tell me what has happened to you."

Will was silent as the guards walked forward and each grasped one of Nico's arms.

"Don't send me down there," Nico protested, "You know what happens to its victims!"

"I don't care," His prince said to his disbelieving face, "You deserve it."

"Stop saying that!" Nico cried as he was dragged away, "You can't mean it!"

"I do," his prince spat and turned his back, sealing the shocked servant's fate.

"I love you," was the last thing Nico managed to get out, "I thought you loved me too."

And then everything goes black.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment/ leave kudos if you like it!  
> (Or just leave a comment if you don't. I always appreciate constructive criticism.)
> 
>  
> 
> Should I continue it?
> 
> Here is my YouTube account and Google plus link: https://plus.google.com/112708563875770624536


End file.
